Category: Philanthropy

Believe it or not, there are still politicians out there who want what is best for the public, regardless of what late-night comedians and satirical comedies might have you believe. It’s tough to be the one that pushes against the status quo, especially when you know the changes that you are working for will create a push in a positive direction. According to Betsy DeVos, Secretary of Education, these pushes may incite fear and sometimes even hate, but they are important. She has spent a lifetime researching the ins and outs of the education system and she explains to an interviewer at Philanthropy Roundtable, that what needs to be done is that the education system needs to move into the private sector. It seems as though the public-school system is not functioning the way that it should, so parents should become more responsive to private solutions.

When parents hear these administrators talking about private types of education, it can cause fear. Many believe that it is not possible to afford such options or that it will become burdensome. Betsy DeVos assures parents that this is not the case. She has pushed for scholarship programs and public funding that will funnel into these institutions to provide slots for children who may not be able to afford them. She also explains that simply because something is described as private does not mean that it is not affordable. Parents also have the option of enrolling their students into online programs which would retain virtually the same cost for them, only their children would do the work from the safety of their own home. Betsy DeVos assures parents that there are options available for them they simply need to reach out and take it.

These options can be very intriguing for parents who are new to the school choice process. Betsy DeVos assures them that there are many new students going into the school’s choices system within the United States. In fact, more than 250,000 new students entered the school choice system in 2013, she explained in an interview with Philanthropy Roundtable. There is more of an option available to parents and they realize, and they can take the steering wheel of their child’s education. In addition to all of the work being done by Betsy DeVos and her staff, there are new charter schools and private schools popping up every single day. Betsy DeVos encourages parents to look into these institutions, but also to look into long-standing institutions as well. These might offer affordable options for parents as that their tuition will have stabilized. Parents are not without choices within this road. She assures them that once they make the decision to grab that steering wheel of their child’s education, they will feel so much better about the entire process. According to Betsy DeVos, she will continue to fight so that parents will have this choice well into the future. She believes that the school options should be way more interactive for parents and students alike.